MCLEAN, Va., March 26, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a follow-on contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide systems engineering and integration support to AHLTA, the nation's largest electronic health record system.

AHLTA is the clinical information system managing electronic health records for the Department of Defense Military Health System. AHLTA supports more than nine million active service members, retirees and their families worldwide.

"With AHLTA, the Department of Defense has made significant advancements toward achieving the president's goal of making electronic health records available to a majority of Americans by 2014," said Michele Kang, vice president of Health Solutions for Northrop Grumman IT. "As a leading provider of health IT capabilities and solutions, Northrop Grumman will continue to provide the technology and expertise to deliver safer and more efficient health services for American military personnel, their families and healthcare providers around the globe."

Northrop Grumman has supported the AHLTA system as the primary systems integrator and developer since 1999.

Work on the contract will be conducted in Chantilly, Va., over an eight-month base period with two one-year options.

Northrop Grumman is a trusted integrator of advanced health solutions, addressing life sciences, clinical information systems, public health, and health and benefits management systems. The company's major health programs include innovative electronic health information exchanges, global disease surveillance and response tools and support for medical research. Northrop Grumman has developed and supports the largest electronic health record in use, now implemented at military health facilities worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 122,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.